- Standard ovens heat up to a preset temperature, surrounding food with hot air. Convection ovens use a fan to blow hot air onto food, accelerating the cooking process.
- Air circulation allows food to cook faster in convection ovens. Susie Middleton of Fine Cooking notes that convection ovens cook food 25 percent faster than a standard oven.
- Air circulation also promotes even cooking times. You'll notice meat browns more evenly and cookies on both oven racks cook at, or closer to, the same time frame than in a standard oven.
- If you are cooking a delicate dish such as custard, thin tuile cookies or dehydrated fruit strips, you won't want the convection fan. In these cases, a regular oven is better since the blowing air from the fan can disturb the texture of the finished product.
- On average, convection ovens cost $300 more than standard ovens.
- When using a convection oven, decrease the time or temperature of a recipe. A dish will cook faster at the same temperature, or be done in the same amount of time if the convection oven is kept 25 degrees lower than the suggested temperature.
